PAS Maintains Anwar Innocent Of Sodomy Charge Despite Saiful's Swearing On Quran

IPOH, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- PAS today maintained that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is innocent of the sodomy charge he faces despite accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan having performed the "mubahalah" (swearing on the Quran) to prove he (Saiful) was not lying in the matter.
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said he regarded Mohd Saiful Bukhari's gesture (of swearing on the quran) as dirty politics prompted by certain quarters and felt that the institution of religion had also been misused in the process.
"This is (an act of) stupidity in Islamic law. Unfortunately, it involves those who use religion as their brand. It (swearing on the Quran) is not in keeping with the demands of Islamic law.
"What we have in Islam is 'li'an' (swearing involving married couples) ... swearing on the holy book is a practice of Christians, who swear on the Bible.
"For Muslims, it is li'an, which is the case of a man accusing his wife of having illicit sex (but) Anwar and Saiful are not husband and wife," he told reporters when asked to comment on the swearing on the Quran by Anwar's former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari at the Federal Territory Mosque in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.
Abdul Hadi said PAS maintained that Anwar was innocent unless it was proven otherwise in court, adding that it was improper of society to sentence Anwar based on Mohd Saiful Bukhari's gesture which came on the eve of nomination in the by-election for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency in Penang.
He said the latest development would not undermine the support and confidence of PAS and the electorate in Anwar, and added that the party would continue to assist Anwar in facing the by-election.
Abdul Hadi also said that it was inappropriate for Mohd Saiful Bukhari to have sworn on the Quran if he did not fully understand the contents of the holy book.
Asked on the best step to resolve the sodomy accusation against Anwar, Abdul Hadi said the case should be brought before the Syariah Court as provided for under Article 121 (1) (A) of the Federal Constitution since the matter involved Muslims.
"Although there is no penalty for sodomy in the Quran, the case can be likened to 'zina' (illicit sex) which requires four witnesses or a declaration by both sides," he added.
He said it was not necessary for Anwar to swear on the Quran as Mohd Saiful Bukhari had done. "Let it (the case) be decided by the Syariah Court", he added.

Saiful's Swearing Aimed At Toppling Anwar - Wan Azizah

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the swearing done by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is aimed at damaging the dignity and political career of her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
She said the former personal assistant to the PKR adviser brought up the matter to prevent Anwar from winning the Permatang Pauh by-election on Aug 26.
"He can swear all he want but if there is no proof as confirmed by a doctor, the swearing is not applicable," she told reporters at the Permatang Pauh by-election nomination centre at Dewan Aminuddin Baki, Institut Perguruan Tuanku Bainun here Saturday.
Wan Azizah claimed that Mohd Saiful Bukhari did not know why he had sworn in the first place.
Mohd Saiful Bukhari Friday swore on the Quran in the Federal Territory Mosque in Kuala Lumpur that Anwar had forcefully sodomised him.
On Anwar's chances of winning the parliamentary seat, a confident Wan Azizah said her husband would triumph at Permatang Pauh.
The Permatang Pauh by-election will see a three-corner fight between Anwar, Seberang Jaya State Assemblyman Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Hanafi Mamat of Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (AKIM).

tunku : even if the court says that anwar is guilty as charged, pas and the rest of pakatan will say that he is innocent.they will never agree with what other says unless other says what they want to believe or listen. such a double standard. if anwar is really innocent why don't he do the 'sumpah laknat' that he had never sodomize saiful or any other person ever? as for wan azizah, she's saying saiful's swearing was aimed at toppling anwar, what position anwar hold right now, he is not the pm that people want to topple him. talking about dignity and pride, anwar has zero of that.